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The Undertaker's Daughter
Once upon a time there was an undertaker who lived with no one but his wife. They were poor, but fairly happy, except for one thing, they had no child. Years passed and one joyful day, the wife found she was expecting a child. Soon she gave birth to their daughter. But it was too much for the mother to take, and she soon after died. The child too was weak, and, fearful that his child too would die soon, the undertaker begged that Death would spare her. Death appeared, his skull face shining terribly and his eyeholes glowing blood red. The undertaker shivered and shook at Death's presence, but he stood tall and looked Death right in the eye. Pleased, Death smiled his ghastly smile and said in his terrible voice, "Your bravery pleases me, so I will spare her life. She will be brave and true, and fear none, not even I." And with that, Death disappeared. The undertaker named the child Morgan Raven'swing and raised her on his own. He loved her very much and treasured her more than anything else, but everyone else was frightened of her. With her raven hair, eyes as pale as ice and deathly white skin sun couldn't color, she looked as though she were dead. When she walked down the street, dogs would bark and people would cross the street just to avoid her. Few had the courage to address her, and those that did never had anything pleasant to say. "Here comes the Corpse Girl. Where's your mother Corpse Girl, did you kill her? Oh that's right, you were so ghastly being born that she died of fright on seeing you!" they would say, leering nastily at the poor girl. The kingdom was ruled by a fair and just king and queen. They had a son named Prince Lovely, who was the handsomest man in the land. His eyes sparkled with joyful mirth, and his smile was bright enough to make the sun look dull. All the young maidens of the kingdom loved him dearly, Morgan included. When he would down the street, all the ladies would gather around to watch him pass, hoping he'd notice them and marry them. Morgan would too be in the crowd, but all the other girls would jealously push her to the side, sneering cruelly. "Why would he ever notice you? You're so pale, he'd think you were death coming for him!" But one day, dreadful news struck the kingdom. The Prince had been snatched, kidnapped by a giantess, and spirited away to her palace. A great and horrible voice announced the event, echoing through the streets and shaking shingles from the roofs. "I have taken the prince as my own and in one moon's time, he will be mine forever. If you wish to take him back, only a maiden may retrieve him from my palace over the mountain and past the lost sea, if she be so bold." But despite the giant's warning, the king sent out one hundred soldiers to look for the lost prince. For seven days there was no sign of the soldiers nor of Prince Lovely. Then on the morning of the seventh day, the corpses of all one hundred soldiers were found strewn around the castle, torn to shreds as if by the tusks of some wild beast. The voice of the giant rang out once more through the village, this time louder and more horrible than before, loud enough to break all the windows of the entire town. "You heeded not my warning, so you have paid the price. Your army lies dead before you, and as I have said, only a maiden, be she so bold, may snatch the prince from my hold." Shaken, the king sent a crier out through the town, announcing at the top of his voice. "Hear ye, hear ye, hear what the king hath said! Any maid bold enough to save him, to the prince she shall be wed!" All the young maidens of the village tittered at this, delighted by the prospect of marrying the prince, each certain she would be the one. First to venture out was the daughter of the butcher. She packed up a loaf of bread and one of her father's cleavers, then climbed onto her pony. "If there are any monsters, I'll chop them to bits!" she said, waving the cleaver proudly, then she rode off towards the giant's palace. The next morning her pony was found wandering all alone down the street, the girl nowhere in sight. Then at sunset, the butcher's daughter was found wandering the streets, gibbering and sobbing, yet nary a scratch on her. "What happened, what happened?" everyone asked her. But she could not say a sane word, as she had been driven mad with fear. Next was the daughter of one of the king's knights. She packed up a hunk of meat, and a loaf of bread, her father’s second best sword and saddled up her battle horse. “I will rescue the Prince, no beast shall best me, I am trained to fight, if any attack me, I will cut them to bits with my sword!” she said proudly, waving the sword through the air, and she set off towards the giant’s palace. The next morning the battle horse was found wandering the street, the knight’s daughter no where in sight. Worried, the villagers waited for her return, and that night she stumbled into town, nary a scratch on her, but driven mad with fear, just as the butcher’s daughter before her had been. Thirdly was the daughter of the duke. She had her servants pack her a whole picnic basket, laden with bread, meat and fruits, then climbed inside her carriage. “Mere peasantry does not have what it takes to defeat the giant. I, with my noble blood, will defeat them and rescue the Prince.” She said snootily, then rode out to the giant’s palace. The next morning the carriage returned, the tired horses pulling the smashed coach behind them, the duke’s daughter no where to be seen. And, just as the other two before her, she returned that night, nary a scratch on her, but unable to speak a sane word, as mad as the first two. Worried, the entire village fretted over what should be done. Every maid that had ventured out to save the Prince had returned empty-handed, mad as a hatter. “What ever shall we do? Despite the giant’s promise, every maid who went out came back mad! Surely there is no hope left for the Prince!” The king, driven grey with worry, swore that if no maiden were able to reclaim his son, he himself would venture out to find him. Morgan, ever watchful and patient, went to her father, the undertaker, wishing to retrieve the Prince herself. “Father, I wish to find Prince Lovely. Surely I am brave enough to bear whatever horrors await me.” “Dear child, please do not worry me so. You are my only family now, and I do not wish to lose you to such a horrible fate. Please, say you won’t go!” he begged her. But Morgan refused, determined to go on her quest. The undertaker begged and pleaded, but she would not give in. Finally, he gave in to her, weary of arguing. “Fine, you may go, but may Death protect you.” he said, giving her his blessing. Elated, Morgan began to pack everything she’d need. But, just as she was about to step out the door, Death appeared before her. “Do you fear me?” he said. “No I do not.” Morgan replied. Death’s eyes glowed bright red and his skull gleamed a horrible white. The air went cold and the shadows began to creep. “Do you fear me yet?” Death asked again. “As of yet, I do not.” Morgan answered. Death leaned in close, and in his glowing eyes, showed Morgan a thousand horrible things, each more gruesome than the last, each too ghastly to be described. “Do you fear me yet?” Death asked a third time. “No I do not fear ye.” Morgan replied. And she certainly did not. She stood up straight as a post, nary the slightest of shivers, and looked Death dead in the eye. Death leaned back and stood straight, throwing his head back and letting loose a chilling laugh, loud enough to shake dust from the eaves. “Where do you go child?” Death asked, his voice as cold as ice. “I wish to go to the giant’s palace.” “And what business do you have there?” “I wish to rescue the Prince.” “And what have you to take for your journey and how will you get there?” “I have a loaf of bread, a hunk of meat, a few apples, and a carving knife. And I will ride my nag.” “Ah, child, you need not any of these things, you may them back.” Death replied. So Morgan did so, putting the bread, meat, apples and carving knife back in the kitchen and unsaddling her horse. “Now, I will give to you all that you shall need.” Death said when she returned before him. “Firstly, these are the Howling Pipes. They command the winds, and when you sound them, the winds will obey. The stronger your breath, the greater the gust.” Death said, pulling a set of brown panpipes from the sleeve of his cloak and handing them to her. “Next, this is the Silver Knife. It will only cut the earth, as you must do to get the earth’s blood. And when you remove it, the blood with cease and the earth shall heal.” Death pulled a small silver dagger from the folds of his sleeve, the silver blade decorated with rippling patterns and the hilt as black as night. “Third and last are the Stomping Shoes. Tread lightly in these, for when you take every step, the earth will tremble beneath your feet.” And Death pulled out a pair of boots of thick brown leather and with toes of iron, which Morgan promptly put on. “These three things are all you need.” Morgan looked down at the three relics of Death, then looked at Death with confusion. “But what will I eat, and how will I get there?” she asked. “You mustn’t take food, as its smell will anger the guardians and hasten their attack. And your own two feet will be good enough for you, as any mount you take will throw you out of fear.” “Oh, I see. Any advice for me?” “No matter what you see, and no matter what you find, remember to be bold and brave, for you are child of mine. Things will try to stop you, but do not let them stand in your way, for you must find the Prince by the end of this day. Now go, and take my blessing with you.” said Death, giving her an icy kiss on the cheek. With the three relics of Death and his blessing, Morgan stepped out the door and headed down the road to the giant’s castle, taking care to tread lightly. The villagers looked out to see who was now going to try to find the Prince, and their eyes widened upon seeing her. “Ha! Corpse Girl! You’re as good as dead, and good riddance I say!” one nasty girl cried out, and the others laughed, nodding in agreement. Angered, Morgan set her foot down hard, and the ground shook, knocking dust from the walls. Spooked, everyone rushed back inside, and peered at her from the windows. Satisfied, Morgan resumed her trek down the road. The cobbled road led her out of the village and into the woods, turning from neat stones to packed dirt. But she followed it nonetheless, and the trees parted to reveal a clearing. The grass was brittle and brown, as if burned by some fiery breath. Skulls and bones littered the ground, as of scattered by a giant hand. She stepped into the clearing and was greeted by a fearsome squeal. A boar, large as a horse and with fur as black as night, ivory tusks stained with blood, charged out of nowhere, screaming, fire flying from its snout. But Morgan held her ground and the boar came to a stop before her, surprised. Then it turned, racing back, then charged again, coming even closer. But still Morgan held her ground. The boar squealed and pranced, trying to scare the girl off. Finally it came to a stop before her and said in its horrible squealing voice; “Fear me, fear me!” Morgan snorted and replied, “I will not fear ye. For if I fear not Death, then I fear none! If there is anything to be a-feared of, then I am the one!” she cried, stomping her feet. The ground shook and shivered, and the boar was toppled to its side. Terrified, for it was sure that this girl was its master in disguise, the boar leaped to its feet and bowed low before her. “I apologize, O great master, please spare this humble servant’s life! But pray tell me your name, for I wish not more strife.” It begged, groveling low. “I am not the giant master you knew, I am Morgan Raven’swing, your master anew.” Morgan cried, stomping her foot once to drive home the effect. The boar bowed lower still and scurried out of her way. Morgan nodded, satisfied, and continued on her way. After several leagues or so, she came across another clearing, this one of solely compacted dirt, scattered with shredded armor, the metal torn as through by a giant hand. There was a flash of fire and a five-headed dog appeared, big as an elephant. It barked, loud enough to tremble the trees, fire dripping from its fangs. But Morgan held her ground, nary so much as a shiver to be found. The dog advanced, breathing fire so high it singed the treetops, then let out a bloodcurdling howl. Yet Morgan still held her ground. Confused, the dog paused, then all five heads blew fire right at her. Morgan merely wrinkled her nose and fanned the flames away from her face. The dog, now furious, threw all five heads in the air, some snarling, some howling, and some breathing white-hot flames. "Fear me, fear me!" the beast howled. Morgan rolled her eyes and stomped her feet, the ground shaking beneath her. "I will not fear ye, for if I fear not Death, then I fear none. If there is anything to be a-feared of, then I am the one!" The dog, terrified that this may be his master in disguise, laid down on the ground and showed her his belly. "I am most sorry great master, please spare your servant's life. May I humbly ask your name, I have no wish for strife." the dog begged. "I am not the master you knew, I am Morgan Raven'swing, your master anew." Morgan cried, stomping her foot once for emphasis. The dog cowered and whined and let her pass. After several more leagues, Morgan came to a cave of black stone, the ground littered with blackened bones and half-melted armor. Ten bolts of lightning flashed down and hit the ground before her. The lightning cleared to reveal a ten headed dragon, all ten heads blowing a great column of fire. Then the heads turned to her and uttered a low growl. But, Morgan stood her ground. The dragon advanced slowly, heads snapping and snarling, baring gleaming fangs, sparks flying from their snouts. But still Morgan stood her ground. All ten heads breathed lightning, blasting massive holes into the ground. But still Morgan held her ground. Finally all ten heads rose into the air and the dragon roared in a voice loud enough to shake the trees and knock boulders loose from the cave. "Fear me, fear me!" And Morgan responded in the way she had with the first two guardians. "I will not fear ye, for if I fear not Death, then I fear none. If there be anything to be a-feared of, then I am the one!" And the ground shook and trembled beneath her feet. But, unlike the first two guardians, the dragon was not impressed. "Really, is that the best you can do? The others may have been impressed, but they are dumb beasts. I have ten heads, I am much more clever than they. Mere yelling and showmanship will not make a coward of me!" the dragon snorted. "Oh, so you say, yet is that not what you yourself have done, roaring and blasting lightning, but not hitting me so much as once?" Morgan retorted. "Ah, so you are clever! Since you amuse me, I will serve you instead. The giant I serve is a witless fool and it does me no great pleasure to be under her command. Pray tell me, what is the name of my master anew and how do you be so bold to be here?" the dragon asked, heads lowered to meet her eyes. "I am Morgan Raven'swing, and I have Death's blessing." Morgan replied. The dragon bowed low and stepped out of her way. Morgan continued on her path, over a hill and was greeted by the sight of a large palace. She strode down to the entrance, where sat a giant guard, a cage made of bone suspended from the ceiling beside him, and in it sat the lost prince! Morgan tightened her jaw and marched right up, bold as brass. The giant spotted her and growled. "So, you have come, first of the maidens to make it past so much as the first guardian. I do hope you weren't planning on a stealthy approach, I could hear you from leagues away. And I do hope that you don't think those Stomping Shoes will scare me off." he rumbled. "I also wield the Howling Pipes and the Silver Knife alongside the Stomping Shoes." Morgan replied. The giant threw his head back and laughed, loud enough to shake the ceiling. The cage and the prince swayed and swung and Morgan eyed him carefully. "Do you believe that such tiny relics will defeat one as mighty as I?" he roared and got to his feet, stretching to his full height. He was easily two houses high, his head level with the bone cage. “Death would not have given these to me if he did not believe they would work." Morgan replied calmly. "Death gave those to you? Ha! Are you certain he didn't intend for you to die instead?" the giant mocked her. "He intends for some soul to be reaped today, we will just have to see whom." she said. "Give it your worst." the giant challenged. Morgan pulled the Howling Pipes and Silver Knife out of the folds of her dress. She put the pipes to her lips and gently blew. A breeze stirred up and curled around them. She blew harder and the breeze strengthened. Then she blew with all her might and a gale rose up, hitting the giant with all the force of all the winds. But all it did was push the giant back a bit. Then Morgan raised her foot and brought it back down as hard as she could. The floor jumped as the floor rippled, and a massive crack opened up in the ground. From the crack sprang forth a hundred skeletons, which danced along to the sound of the pipes and swarmed the giant. But the giant just brushed them off. Finally Morgan drew her knife, and, not knowing what else to do with it, stabbed it deep into the ground. A great spring of water sprang up and slammed into the giant. And between the force of the winds, the river and the dancing skeletons, the giant was overwhelmed, falling into the great abyss in the ground. The skeletons leaped in after him, and Morgan stamped her foot, closing the rift up once more. She yanked the knife out of the ground and the river stopped instantly. She put her hand over the pipes, and the wind died down. She put the three relics back into her dress and walked towards the cage. From between the skeletal bars, Prince Lovely smiled down at her, his face lighting up like the sun. But the cage was too high up, well out of her reach. She looked around and spotted a giant stool nearby. She shoved it right under the cage, a task normally impossible, but between her stubbornness and Death's blessing, she managed it, and once it was in place, laboriously climbed up. The cage now dangled only a few feet above the seat of the stool, the lock well within her reach. The door was held by a bone lock, but with a few jabs of a hairpin, she sprang it open. The door swung open and the Prince leaped out, laughing. "Thank you, dear Morgan, but that giant was not the only one to worry about. The giantess princess will be back soon, especially since she will have sensed that I am free, and she will stop at nothing to have me back, either to marry or for meat. We must hurry, before she returns." he said. A roar shook the palace and the prince grabbed Morgan's hand and turned to run. "Too late, we must now flee!" he cried, and the two ran down the path. "This way!" he said, pulling her off the path and towards a tall hill. They ran up the hill, the ground shaking with the footsteps of the giantess close behind. On the other side of the hill was a vast, sandy basin, with a lone abandoned ship, as if a whole sea had dried up. But, the basin was so vast, and the giantess was closing in fast. Morgan looked behind them to see her, an ugly woman even taller than the guard had been, her hair mussed from running, her face bright red as she puffed. Desperate, Morgan looked for anything that could help them, then her eyes landed on the ship. "Go, get on the ship, I will join you soon." Morgan said. The prince obeyed, running to the ship and climbing aboard. Meanwhile, Morgan pulled the Silver Knife from her dress and slashed the ground as long and deep as she could, crying out as she did so, "O Death, keep this wound of the earth open long enough for the sea to refill!" and ran back to the ship as fast as she could, the torrent of water close on her heels. But, of course, a ship of that size needed a crew of many more than just two, so before the water reached her, Morgan stomped her foot once more. Another chasm opened up and a hundred skeletons leaped out. "I wish you to crew the ship, so that we may escape the giantess!" Morgan ordered. The skeletons scooped her up and climbed aboard the ship, then set about to work. And just in time too, as the wave had now reached them, lifting the ship up off the sand. Soon they were afloat, and several dozen skeletons descended into the galley to row. But the giantess had already reached the water and was beginning to wade in, slowly overtaking them. Morgan pulled out the Howling Pipes and began to blow. The resulting wind was so strong it threatened to overturn the boat, but with the quick skillfulness of the skeleton crew, they remained afloat, aiming the sails to perfectly catch the wind. Soon they were skipping along nicely, but then Morgan noticed the water was starting to drop. She turned and saw that the giantess had stopped wading and was now drinking the water down, despite the still flowing trench that the Silver Knife had cut. Morgan had used all three of her relics to impede the giantess, but none of them seemed to have made a difference. So Morgan took a deep breath and called at the top of her lungs. "O great guardians, hear your master's call, come and defeat the giantess, or the world shall fall!" There were three answering roars, and the boar, the dog and the dragon appeared in the water next to the giantess, and all three pounced. The boar slashed and stabbed with his tusks, the dog barked and bit with all five heads, and the dragon snapped and chopped with all ten heads, all three blowing fire. Soon the giantess sunk under the waves, never to be seen again. "Come my loyal guardians, come aboard my ship!" Morgan called. The three guardians swam towards her, but upon seeing the size of the vessel and the size of themselves, they shook their heads and remained in the water. "Alas master, we cannot, for we are much too large to fit, we would sink your ship." the dragon replied. "Surely three mighty beings such as yourselves would be able to make yourselves smaller?" Morgan replied. "That we can, that we can." the three choruses back. "Good, then come aboard, one at a time, and do so. I will see to it that no harm comes to any of you." And so the first of the guardians, the boar, climbed aboard the ship, the timbers creaking slightly under his weight. He shrank and shrank until he was small enough to fit in a hand, then Morgan scooped him up and carefully placed him in her pocket. Next was the dog. He climbed aboard and the deck freaked and groaned under his weight. He shrank and shrank until he fit in Morgan's hand, where he joined the boar in her pocket. Lastly was the great dragon. The ship tipped and swayed as he climbed aboard carefully, and the ship lowered in the water and the timbers threatened to crack under his great weight. And he quickly shrank and shrank and was soon safely stowed in the pocket alongside the boar and the dog. When all that was done, Morgan shyly turned to the prince. "Your father, the king, had said that whomever rescued you from the giant would have you for a husband." "Yes, so I have heard, and I intend on fulfilling his word." Prince Lovely replied. "But why? I am the one that rescued you, and seeing all the things I have done, surely you must find me ghastly." "You have saved me from a most horrid fate, I would say that wasn't ghastly at all." "But look at me. Surely I am not one to look at. My skin is as pale as a corpse, my eyes as cold as ice, and my hair as dark as a shadow." "Your face glows like the moon, your eyes as lovely as the icebergs of the far north, and your hair like a swath of a clear night. You are beautiful to me, regardless what others may say." "But why me, of all the maidens of village? They all adore you." "You are the one I care for. I have seen you when riding through town, despite all their attempts to hide you. Compared to you, everyone looks like a painted fabric flower, bright, gaudy and false." Morgan blushed and was silent, watching as the castle loomed ever closer. Soon they came to shore, a fair walk from the town. Morgan and Prince Lovely disembarked and began the journey on foot into town. As they walked through the village, everyone stopped and stared. She had returned, the Corpse Girl had returned, still sane and with the Prince beside her! Amazed, everyone lined the streets, watching their progress towards the castle. When they reached the main gates, the shocked guards bowed to the prince and allowed them to pass. They arrived at the throne room, where the king and queen sat anxiously. Upon seeing the prince, the king and queen rushed down from their thrones to greet him. When they were satisfied that their son was well and unharmed, they resumed their seats and turned to Morgan. "So this is the maiden that rescued our son. You have our deepest gratitude. I presume you heard the reward I gave?" "Yes she indeed has, and I intend on fulfilling it." Prince Lovely said. Morgan blushed, then addressed the king herself. "Yes your majesty, indeed I have heard of it, as the prince has said, but if I may be so bold, I have two other requests alongside it, both of which would benefit the kingdom and yourself greatly." "What is it you wish?" the king replied. "Firstly, to protect the kingdom from something such as this from occurring again, I have three guardians who can defend the kingdom. However, most find them terrifying, so I would like to secure them safe passage, if you choose to accept them." "That sounds most pleasing. I grant them safe passage. But who are these mighty guardians?" the king replied. Morgan reached into the folds of her dress and scooped up the miniature boar, dog and dragon, and held them close to her ear. "Did you hear what was said?" she asked them. The three jumped up and down on her palm with excitement. "Yes we did, we did! And we agree to serve the king." all three exclaimed. Morgan nodded and gently placed them on the ground. The guardians grew and grew until they were at their fullest height, but the throne room was more than large enough to hold them. The queen gasped in fright, but the king merely clenched his jaw, then relaxed. "Yes indeed they will be most worthy to defend the kingdom. Thank you. Now, what is your second request?" the king said. "I do hope you will not find this most alarming, or peculiar for the daughter of an undertaker, but I wish to see where the hundred soldiers are buried." Morgan said cautiously. "That is indeed an unusual request, but I shall grant it and show it to you myself. Come." The king stood and walked down the hall, Morgan following close behind, the Prince with her. They came to an empty courtyard, walled off from the rest of the grounds. The dirt was freshly churned, like that of a freshly filled grave, nary so much as a single blade had grown over it. "Here they are." the king said sadly. "Would you like them to be returned, good as new and alive?" Morgan asked. "That would a dream come true. These were my best men, and for them to die so is a most cruel fate." "I can restore them, with your permission. I will summon Death to bring them back." "What you speak of is most serious indeed. The villagers will be most cruel if they learn of such powers you wield." the king replied warily. "They already treat me poorly, your highness. It will not make much difference." "So be it, do what you must." Morgan nodded and raised her arms. "Death! O Great Death, hear me and come!" she called as loud as she could. There came a soft, cold chuckling, and Death appeared before them. At his presence, the king shivered and paled, but stood fast. "Dear Death, please grant me my request." Morgan begged. "What is it that you wish of me, my darling child?" Death asked, grinning horribly. "Could you bring these good soldiers back to life? They grave their lives selflessly and died so horribly." "I could ordinarily, but in order to do so, I need the bodies of these men." "What? Surely they lie right there in that grave?" "No, that grave is empty. They are with you." "How so?" "Do you remember those one hundred skeletons who answered the Stomping Shoes’ call?" "Yes, of course." "They were the hundred soldiers, waiting for a chance to be freed of their restlessness. If you wish for their return from me, you must summon them here." "But I have not sent them back to the earth, how can they possibly answer my call?" "Blow the deepest of the Howling Pipes, and they will come." Death replied. So Morgan pulled out the pipes and placed her hand over all the pipes except for the longest, then took a deep breath and blew. A deep, howling wind stirred up and swept through the town and down to the ship at the lake. At the sound, all one hundred skeletons clambered down off the ship and headed towards the castle. They danced down the main street of the village, their bones clacking and clattering as the villagers stared and hid in fear. Soon they were standing in the courtyard grave, waiting patiently for Morgan's next order. Death raised his arms and blew A great, icy breath over the bones of the soldiers. They shimmered and blurred, and when they refocused, there stood all one hundred soldiers, flesh and blood and very much alive. "It's a miracle! Ah Morgan, you are indeed great. I grant you two requests, and you give them both back to me! However shall I repay you?" the king cried, elated. "Simple. You shall have my daughter wed to your son at the latest, and I shall be in attendance." Death said before Morgan had a chance to speak, his cold bone hand on her shoulder. "Most assuredly." the king said. The very next day Morgan and Prince Lovely were wed, with Death and the hundred soldiers in attendance, and they danced and danced well into the night to the music of the Howling Pipes. They live peacefully for many years, and when his father died, Prince Lovely ruled as a wise and just king, with the fair and noble Morgan as queen by his side. And it is said that to this day, if one sees the hill shaking, and the rivers raging and the winds howling, good Queen Morgan Raven'swing is dancing and playing and keeping evil at bay. Category:Short Stories Category:Fairytale Category:Pdwolverine Category:Fiction Category:Story